SPOTLIGHT: PROTECTING THE MOST VULNERABLE FROM HARM
AN EXTRA POUND A MONTH FOR POLICING
In March this year, a panel comprising the PCC, the Bristol Mayor and a member of the Board of Trustees for SARI (Stand against Racism and Inequality) will hear from key agencies including the police, Bristol City Council and SARI about the individual lessons which have been learnt from the tragic case of Mr Bijan Ebrahimi. The enquiry day will also look to understand how the agencies now work together to share information, carry out early intervention and to protect vulnerable residents across the area.
Local people across Avon and Somerset have shown their support for policing by agreeing with a proposal to increase the policing part of the council tax. The proposal, submitted by PCC Sue Mountstevens, has been agreed by the Police and Crime Panel.
The OPCC team have also been carrying our assurance activity aligned to the Police and Crime Plan’s primary priority ‘Protect the most vulnerable from harm’.
This has involved carrying out an audit of information held on policing IMAGE TBC systems in relation to individuals who have reported they are persistently targeted victims of anti-social behaviour, internal assurance work for reports to come to the PCC, understanding the design principles of the newly developed victim management App and observing Local Tasking Meetings.
IMPROVING CRIMINAL JUSTICE SERVICES ACROSS AVON AND SOMERSET We would like to introduce Manjinder Purewal, our new Criminal Justice Senior Responsible Officer. Manjinder has been appointed to deliver a new project which aims to improve the experience of victims, streamlining their journey through the criminal justice service across Avon and Somerset. The vision is to make the criminal justice service more effective. After work to apply learning from behavioural science identified practical solutions to transform the criminal justice service in Avon and Somerset, Manjinder will now be responsible for implementing and delivering these changes locally. Speaking about her new role Manjinder said: “I am delighted to join a forward thinking area actively aiming to achieve the vision of a truly joined up criminal justice service, which is victim focussed. This is an exciting time and I look forward to working with colleagues across The Crown Prosecution
Policing part of the council tax to increase by
6.6% equivalent to an increase of
towards policing
a year or
residents spoken to
Service, Prison Service, Her Majesty’s Court and Tribunal Service, Police and the OPCC.”
“
A MONTH
600
£12 £1
Our Facebook post posing the question: would you spend an extra
people in favour of a
£7M
16% 2%
11%
of the overall demand on households.
2020
The Avon and Somerset Criminal Justice Board, who have led the way nationally on approaches to offender management and victim care, decided on this new approach to bring a fresh perspective to long-standing challenges in the local criminal justice system.
Custody visiting is the well-established system whereby volunteers visit police stations to check on people in police custody; the conditions in which they are held and that their rights and entitlements are being observed, and is a vital part of the PCC’s work. Last year 272 visits to police custody took place and over 1000 interviews were held. The interviews give detainees the opportunity to share with custody visitors their experiences in custody, so that the custody visitors can resolve them.
To find out more visit: avonandsometset-pcc.gov.uk.co.uk and search Custody Visiting.
For example, there has been a 22% increase in immigration cases and detainees who do not speak English as their first language. Responding to this, custody visitors now have new translations sheets with custody related questions in several languages.
Tipping Point: The case for a safe sustainable and
FAIR
funding settlement for Avon and Somerset Constabulary
You can view the performances here
March 15th
April 24th
Apply for Commissioner’s Community Action Funding by this quarter’s deadline
Attend the next Police and Crime Panel
Find us on Facebook to watch Sue’s next live webchat with the Chief
March 6th
April 10th
May 17th
Join us at a public drop-in at Easton Community Centre between 10-12pm
Send us your nominations ahead of our next PCC Pride Awards
Celebrate your policing heroes at the Be Proud Awards 2018
@aandspcc |
aandspcc
pcc@avonandsomerset.pnn.police.uk |
avonandsomerset-pcc.gov.uk
contact me
Avon and Somerset Police and Crime Commissioner, Valley Road, Portishead, Bristol, BS20 8JJ
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AVON AND SOMERSET HIGHLIGHTED AS EXAMPLE OF NATIONAL BEST PRACTICE
RECIEVED 478 COMMENTS
March 1st
01275 816 377 |
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SHARED 96 TIMES
WHAT’S COMING UP?
We need people like you to check on the welfare of detainees in police custody.
INSIDE
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Find out more about the Criminal Justice Transition on our website
MAKE A DIFFERENCE BY VOLUNTEERING
WHAT’S
REACHED 29,250 PEOPLE
of people against
Neighbourhood policing numbers would be protected until
£1
FEB 2018 / ISSUE 11
a month on policing?
unsure
Police part of the council tax makes up just
Manjinder Purewal
82% £1RISE
Increasing the precept would raise an additional
Newsletter
welcome
Welcome to my first newsletter of 2018!
As we all aim to start afresh, this not only presents the opportunity to identify and reflect on lessons learned, it also allows for a focused and different approach to the year ahead of us. The prospects of goal setting, embracing new challenges and gaining new experiences are all things that I would encourage you to look to maximise over the forthcoming year. I would like to challenge you to do something different by getting involved in your local policing service. Volunteering is one of the most selfless examples of helping others and can be incredibly rewarding. The time to act is now and with so many opportunities available in policing and the chance to try something different, there really is something for everyone. As your PCC, I too am committed to continue acting as a fierce advocate for victims and as your voice in policing. Prevention will be a focus of mine, in particular reducing reoffending and making improvements to the criminal justice system. As well as fighting for fairer funding, investment in policing and ensuring value for money for local people. Together we can make Avon and Somerset safe and feel safe.
SUE MOUNTSTEVENS Your Police & Crime Commissioner (PCC)
Predictive analytics and the mental health control room triage were highlighted by HMICFRS as part of their PEEL (Policing Effectiveness, Efficiency and Legitimacy) reports in which Avon and Somerset Police have been given a grading of “good”. The annual inspection acknowledged the significant progress the force has made in the year since the last inspection, including many successes which support the Police and Crime Plan, for example continuing to place vulnerable victims at the heart of policing. Another example, recognised as best practice in the report, was having a mental health triage team in the police control room. resulting in advice being provided on
3,228 cases
“
and avoided the need for
370
police deployments
saving
1,300
hours of police time
I hope local people can see from the report, Avon and Somerset Constabulary are making good use of police resources and are leading the way in understanding the demand that complex crime presents. There is still work to be done, but I know the Constabulary are committed to continually improving their efficiency.”
DRUGSLAND
ACTING AS AN ADVOCATE FOR VICTIMS OF SO-CALLED ‘HONOUR-BASED’ ABUSE
Every year drug addiction costs our society over fifteen billion pounds. In addition, a heroin or crack user not in treatment commits crime costing an average of over £26,000 a year.
WOULD YOU RECOGNISE THE SIGNS OF SLAVERY AND EXPLOITATION IF YOU SAW THEM? ‘Invisible people’ is the name of a photographic exhibition, which has travelled to Bristol and will tour the rest of the country this year, being led by the National Crime Agency to raise awareness of modern slavery and human trafficking.
On behalf of PCCs across the country, Sue will act as a voice for victims and survivors of ‘honour-based’ abuse and forced marriage, aiming to raise awareness of the crime, working closely with national partners to ensure freedom of choice remains a protected entity.
Sue said: “In Bristol, where people have been caught in possession of drugs, including class A drugs, they are being invited onto an education programme rather than immediately criminalising them. The Bristol Education Programme pilot, is giving people the chance to change their behaviour. The initiative was set up back in April 2016 and is the first programme of its kind in the country. To date 400 people have taken part in the workshop, none of which have since been re-arrested for drug offences.”
Honour-based abuse (HBA) is any practice used to control behaviour within families to protect perceived cultural and religious beliefs and/or ‘honour’. It is a violation of human rights and is a serious crime. Examples of HBA includes intimidation, rape, assault, abduction, domestic abuse, physical, sexual, financial, emotional or psychological abuse, forced marriage (FM) – where you’re not given a choice if you want to marry a person - and murder.
Image Credit: BBC
BBC Three documentary – Drugsland – gives unprecedented access to police work, drug support agencies, detox clinics, local NHS health Trusts, drug dealers and a wide range of users, looking at the consumption, dealing, treatment and policing of illegal drugs in Bristol.
Exploitation happens in our communities, sometimes right before our eyes, and yet we don’t really see it. Modern slavery is an unseen crime happening in everyday places like nail bars, car washes, brothels, restaurants and farms in communities across the region. Three people including a woman from Bath have been sentenced following the first successful prosecution in the UK for exploitation and enforced child labour under the 2015 Modern Slavery Act.
WATCH NOW ON BBC IPLAYER
On speaking to the young people involved in the project, they said: “Every month, young people across Avon and Somerset are experiencing sexual exploitation. We want to help other young people and those around them recognise abuse earlier by designing a resource from our perspective, as those who have been through it.” The three spoken word performances use poets to deliver the words and expression of the young people as survivors of sexual abuse, through the viewpoint of the older self, giving strength to the younger self.
You can view the performances here
“
Child sexual exploitation is happening and together, we need to stop it before it starts. In order to tackle CSE for good, we need long term and consistent support to help children to survive and recover from their experiences and importantly to help the police identify and aggressively go after the perpetrators of this atrocious crime.” Sue Mountstevens
419 124 30 19
RESTRICTED
FEW OR
POOR
PHYSICAL
APPEARANCE
POOR
LIVING
NO BELONGINGS
FREEDOM OF
MOVEMENT
RELUCTANCE
TO SEEK
HELP
GROOMING UNUSUAL
conditions
ISOLATION
TRAVEL TIMES
The news comes in addition to Avon and Somerset Police receiving four reports of suspected modern slavery in nail bars and a car wash following a campaign to raise awareness of slavery in nails bars. Sue said..
ENSURING YOUNG PEOPLE LIVE FREE FROM FEAR Young people, who bravely shared their experiences of child sexual exploitation (CSE) with the support of Barnardo’s, have created three short films to raise awareness of the crime, with the aim of preventing the same thing happening to other young people.
HERE ARE SOME OF THE COMMON SIGNS TO BE AWARE OF:
victims identified and flagged as at risk of CSE suspects identified private locations linked to CSE
Between 2010 and 2016 there were
419
reports of
HONOURBASED VIOLENCE
across Avon and Somerset, not including those unreported and which have been dealt with by partner organisations, leaving the true scale of these crimes unknown
Over the coming months, Sue will be
WORKING WITH VICTIMS and those
WHO SUPPORT VICTIMS to better understand this crime at a local and national level, to learn about the challenges people face in seeking help and to shine a light on this hidden crime
This summer Sue plans to host a
MULTIAGENCY EVENT
bringing together those who are supporting victims and survivors of
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Sue Mountstevens
i
24 HOUR HELP LINE Anyone can spot the signs of slavery and report them to the Modern Slavery Helpline 24-hours a day on 08000 121 700. For more information you can also visit unseenuk.org
HBA & FM and to showcase the great work that is taking place across the country to tackle this crime
business or retail addresses identified for intervention work
If you have concerns that sexual exploitation is happening, you can speak to the Barnardo’s team by calling 0117 9349726 or call the Police on 999 if there’s an immediate danger.
“
Modern slavery is a crime that many find hard to believe still exists in this day and age, but sadly it does. What’s worse is modern slavery often occurs in everyday situations and that’s why we all have a role to play in being a louder voice for those who are trafficked and exploited. We have the power to make a change.”
WHAT TO DO IF YOU NEED HELP? If you feel you are at risk of HBA and you’d like to speak to the police, please call 999 if you are in immediate danger or 101 to talk to someone. However, if making contact online is the safest way for you to get in touch visit avonandsomerset.police.uk
GETTING OURSELVES GDPR READY As your voice in local policing, it’s not only important that PCC Sue Mountstevens hears from you, but also has the opportunity to share with you how your views and feedback are being used to influence your policing service. On May 25, 2018, all organisations across the country must comply with new General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR). The new legislation will supersede the Data Protection Act 1998 and gives people more say over what companies can do with their data. These changes mean if you want to hear from your PCC, we need to hear from you first. In order to receive updates on local policing, how your money
is being spent and for opportunities to get involved in policing you will need to subscribe to news via our website. In the words of Leonard Nimoy ‘The more we share, the more we have.’
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